Ottobock’s Fitness for Amputees App reaches 20,000 downloads

Following the launch of Fitness for Amputees three years ago, Ottobock has announced that 20,000 people worldwide have downloaded the App.

The Fitness for Amputees App from prosthetic and rehabilitation experts, Ottobock, comprises a wide range of fitness and rehabilitation exercises for lower-limb amputees. The exercises were created by Ottobock’s leading physiotherapists and are easy to follow, with videos and guides to ensure users get the most from their rehabilitation and exercise. In September 2017, the App reached the 20,000 users mark, meaning that more people than ever before have benefitted from the specially-designed exercises.

While the App cannot replace a professional course of physiotherapy, the exercises are designed to help maintain fitness for amputees. The App was launched with two sets of eight exercises cover strength & endurance and coordination & balance. Strength & endurance exercises are designed to strengthen the upper body muscles and so stabilise the spine and improve gait, while the coordination & balance exercises demonstrate how to stand securely on a prosthetic leg, resulting in greater comfort for the patient and a more natural way of moving. Earlier this year, an additional stretch & relax mode was incorporated into the App to help users cool down after each workout. These new exercises help to promote a faster regeneration and improve flexibility.

“We are delighted to hear that so many people worldwide are now able to benefit from the Ottobock Fitness App” said Emma Gillespie, Head of Prosthetics at Ottobock UK. “It’s a fantastic tool for both existing and new amputees who want to improve their independence and mobility. We hope to help many more people with our comprehensive approach to health for amputees as the App continues to develop and improve.”

The Fitness App has the potential to become even more popular in the UK as an increasing number of amputees are benefitting from recent NHS England Funding for Microprocessor Controlled Knees (MPKs). The state-of-the-art MPK, Ottobock’s C-Leg 4, was previously only available to veterans and private healthcare patients, but as more and more amputees receive the C-Leg 4 and similar MPKs via their NHS Limb Centres, the App can provide vital training to individuals looking to maximise the benefits of their new prosthesis.